Unto his wif he hath it schewed; And thei, that weren bothe lewed, Acorden that he scholde it selle. 145 And he no lengere wolde duelle, Bot forth anon upon the tale The ston he profreth to the sale; And riht as he himself it sette, The iueler anon forth fette 150 The gold and made his paiement; Therof was no delaiement. Thus whan this ston was boght and sold, Homward with ioie manyfold This Bardus goth; and whan he cam 155 Hom to his hous and that he nam His gold out of his purs, withinne He fond his ston also therinne, Wherof for ioie his herte pleide, Unto his wif and thus he seide, 160 'Lo, hier my gold, lo, hier mi ston!' His wif hath wonder therupon, And axeth him hou that mai be. 'Nou, be mi trouthe! I not,' quod he, 'Bot I dar swere upon a bok 165 That to my marchant I it tok, And he it hadde whan I wente: So knowe I noght to what entente It is nou hier, bot it be grace. Forthi tomorwe in other place 170 I wole it fonde for to selle, And if it wol noght with him duelle, Bot crepe into mi purs aȝein, Than dar I saufly swere and sein It is the vertu of the ston.' 175 The morwe cam, and he is gon To seche aboute in other stede His ston to selle, and he so dede, And lefte it with his chapman there. Bot whan that he cam elleswhere 180 In presence of his wif at hom, Out of his purs and that he nom His gold, he fond his ston withal. And thus it fell him overal, Where he it solde in sondri place, 185 Such was the fortune and the grace. Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd, That it nys ate laste kidd: This fame goth aboute Rome So ferforth that the wordes come 190 To themperour Iustinian; And he let sende for the man, And axede him hou that it was. And Bardus tolde him al the cas, Hou that the worm and ek the beste, 195 Althogh thei maden no beheste, His travail hadden wel aquit; Bot he which hadde a mannes wit, And made his covenant be mouthe, And swor therto al that he couthe, 200 To parte and ȝiven half his good, Hath nou forȝete hou that it stod, As he which wol no trouthe holde. This Emperour al that he tolde Hath herd, and thilke unkindenesse 205 He seide he wolde himself redresse. And thus in court of iuggement This Adrian was thanne assent, And the querele in audience Declared was in the presence 210 Of themperour and many mo; Wherof was mochel speche tho And gret wondringe among the press. Bot ate laste natheles